A garment counterfeiting syndicate with Japanese connections was shut down by Hong Kong Customs, said the officers Wednesday.

They said the authority would freeze all assets of the counterfeiting group by applying the Organized & Serious Crimes Ordinance for the first time.

The Customs on Tuesday arrested nine men and two women, aged 21 to 48, two of whom were directors of a Tsim Sha Tsui trading company and believed to be the syndicate heads.

The gang is believed to have about 20 million Hong Kong dollars (US$2.58 million) in crime proceeds.

Officers seized 157,000 counterfeit clothes and leather goods worth 62.5 million Hong Kong dollars. Most of the counterfeits were of a prestigious brand.

A number of Hong Kong garment and trading companies and a Japanese retail network were involved. Japanese buyers came to Hong Kong to select and order counterfeit clothes. The syndicate then made the orders on the Chinese mainland and conveyed the goods to Kwan Wan for storage, and delivery to Japan.

(Xinhua News Agency July 27, 2005)